For the third consecutive night, a shootout between drug dealers broke out in Brussels, local media reported, BTA reports.
There was a victim in the latest incident, and the shooting took place in the presence of a police patrol.
Federal authorities announced this week their intention to deal with the problem by introducing a common command post for security forces. This is expected to lead to faster and more adequate reactions by police teams in the capital, which are already distributed by areas of responsibility. Despite these measures, experts point out weaknesses in the approach and warn of insufficient efficiency.
Residents of the "Anderlecht" district, which is most affected by the recent shootings, say they are afraid and that the situation has been worsening for a long time. A local TV report showed that drugs were easy to buy in the neighborhood, and some residents said that the police were aware of the distribution points, which had not changed since the 1980s.
In Belgium, the sale of drugs is completely banned, unlike in some neighboring countries. At the same time, the port of Antwerp, the country's second largest city, is known as a major entry point for cocaine imports into Europe from Latin America. According to media reports, 89 shootings between criminal groups were recorded in Brussels last year, resulting in 10 deaths and 48 injuries.
"We need to strengthen the police presence on the ground," Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quenten said at a press conference. He announced that additional police forces, including retired officers, would be deployed in the metro. "The streets belong to society, not to traffickers," the minister stressed.